Rebound switch



8 1940= L. w. GENSBURG v 2,212,097

REBOUND SWITCH Filed Nov. 19, 1958 Jazz s W @22514553 IN VENTOR 6/5 ATTO EY Patented Aug. 20, 1940 PATENT OFFICE REBOUND SWITCH Louis W. Gensburg, Chicago, 111., assignor to Genco, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application November 19, 1938, Serial No. 241,323

ll Claim.

The principal object of thisinvention is the provision of a rebound switch for use in game apparatus of the general type in which a ball or other projectile is launched upon a playboard for movement thereover, the novel rebound switch being arranged and constructed for placement on said playboard to be struck by a ball or projectile and being adapted to efiect a rebound of the ball or projectile regardless of the angle of approach of the same, and the rebound means being arranged to close a circuit when struck as aforesaid.

A further and more particular object is the provision of a combination bumper and switch in the form of a unitary assembly which can be mounted as such without the necessity of prelocating one of the contacts on the mounting surface and then adjusting the mounting of the other contact with respect to the first, the novel bumper in this respect therefore expediting and simplifying the placement and atachment of the same.

Other objects and novel aspects of the invention reside in certain details of construction, arrangement of parts, and mode of operation thereof, all of which will appear as the-following description proceeds in view of the drawing, in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary perspective of a playboard on which the rebound switch is mounted;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section through the playboard and rebound switch along line 2-2 of Fig. 1; while Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View of the board beneath the rebound switch, looking up along line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the novel rebound switch includes an upstanding mounting post or rod 10 provided with a reduced shank portion H at its lower end, which shank portion is extended through the pla-yboard l2 for engagement with a fastening nut i 3 threaded thereon whereby the post is mounted in substantially upright position relative to the playing surface of the board 12.

Secured pendently to the top region of the post it is a coil spring l4 having an upper end turn I 5 clamped between a washer l6 and a disc I! which forms part of a crown 8. The crown may be attached to the top of the post in a variety of ways, the preferred method being the provision of a threaded reduced end at the upper end of the shaft providing a shoulder upon which the washer I6 is seated, with one or more of the upper endmost convolutions of the spring resting on this washer around the threaded upper end of the shank, and the top or crown plate I? thereafter fitted over the threaded end portion, and the crown l8 thereafter being screwed into the threaded upper end of the post so as to clamp the upper endmost convolutions l 5 of the spring between the washer l6 and crown plate it.

As a result of the foregoing construction the spring M is attached pendently to the upper end of the post, and the diameter of the spring is adequate to permit free movement of its convolutions below its point of attachment with the post in any direction radial of the post.

The lowermost turn of the spring 14 is looped back upon itself to provide a relatively movable contact loop 26 which preferably projects toward the post inwardly of the spring and lies in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of the surface of the support I 2 upon which the rebound switch is mounted.

An insulating collar 2! is fitted onto the shank portion H of the post against a shoulder 22 formed at the juncture of the shank with the main upper portion of the post, and a contact disc 23 having a central opening is fitted over the shank of the post onto a reduced portion 24 of the insulating collar and rests against the surface of the support l2 in a plane substantially parallel to the latter when the rebound switch is in mounted position. A relatively stationary contact pin 25 is rigidly mounted on the plate 23 at a point radial of the post so that the pin projects upwardly, parallel with the latter, and through the opening of the loop contact 20, the latter being large enough so that it is normally out of contacting engagement with the pin.

In operation, a ball or other projectile 30 (Fig. 1) is adapted to be moved over the board l2 in various directions toward the post II) to strike against the spring It, and the arrangement of the latter is such that regardless of the direction of approach of the ball or projectile 30 in contacting the spring, the latter will be moved so as to cause the relatively movable contact loop 20 to engage the pin 25 and close a circuit which is connected through lugs 3| and 32 respectively attached to the contact disc 23 and the post l0. Due to the resiliency and manner of mounting the spring Hi, the latter will react to effect a rebound of the ball for further movement or migration over the playing field.

The circuit closing or switch action of the rebound device may be utilized in a circuit such as illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein an electrically operated instrumentality such as the lamp 40 is connected in series with a battery M by conductors 42 and 43 with the contacts 3| and 32. Thus, when the loop 20 engages the pin as a result of the ball striking the spring M, device lll will be energized from the battery 4|.

The invention is not to be confined to any specific details of construction set forth herein for purposes of illustration except as may be provided in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A rebound switch for use with amusement apparatus and the like and comprising a moun'ting post adapted to be mounted in upright position relative to a playing surface in said apparatus, a conductive coil spring having an upper end portion attached to an upper portion of said post whereby said spring is pendently supported from its upper end portions substantially concentrically of said post, the portions of said spring in the-region below its attachment with the post being movable in directions substantially transmember mounted on said plate at a point radial V of said post and projecting generally toward and into the opening of said contact loop, the latter being normally disposed out of engagement with said stationary contact member, the lower portions of said spring being movable when engaged by an object moved in any direction radially toward said post and the spring to move the latter and efiect contacting engagement of the contact loop with said stationarycontact member, said contact loop and contact member being adapted for connection in circuit with a controlled instrumentality to be actuated whenever said spring is engaged and moved by an object in the manner aforesaid.

LOUIS W. GENSBURG. 

